This reminds me of that old saw about the fellow who falls off a 100 story building: "Floor 75, everythings still okay" "Floor 50, still lookin good" "Floor 25, situation nominal" "Floor 5, feeling fine" Unfortunately, there were some communication issues after he past floor 1. We're still waiting for his final report. Article III is the only one left in the bill of rights that is still adhered to. The others get dragged out every once in awhile, like an old general who has outlived his usefulness and is now just a relic of past glory. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Anatoly Vorobey" <mellon@pobox.com> To: <cypherpunks@lne.com> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 8:34 AM Subject: Re: (No Subject)
No, it's silly because he said "becoming". Had he said "is", it would've been criminally stupid.
For example, the US has a long, long, long, long way to go before becoming anything remotely like North Korea, in terms of totalitarianism. Of course, North Korea is a radical example; there are many countries much more totalitarian than the US and extremely likely to remain so in any foreseeable future. All the Patriot Acts and increased surveillance and whatever else has been happening in the US lately is a drop in the ocean of difference between the US and those other countries, in that respect.
-- avva